ALTERMAN: Why I support Obama

To be honest, I was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter, before and even after Barack Obama won the nomination. I had hoped to celebrate the civil victory of a woman earning the party nomination, so it took me a little while to get behind Obama - whose nomination is, obviously, also a civil victory - because I was, frankly, utterly unprepared for him to be running on the Democratic ticket. See, when I fixate on something, as I did Clinton's campaign, I tend to pay less attention than I should to, well, everything and everyone else. I'm stubborn and tunnel-visioned like that. Therefore, I had research to do before I made my decision.

I'm not the type of person to blindly vote for a candidate simply because they represent the party to which I subscribe; in fact, since I turned 18 I have been registered as an Independent. When my political allegiance began to lean toward Obama, it wasn't because he's a Democrat, or because Clinton herself threw her support to him; I ultimately chose Obama because I believe that he employs a genuine and informed concern for the American people. His views on reproductive and civil rights issues (such as pay equity and hate crimes legislation) align with my own - although I do disagree with his opposition to gay marriage. Still, his proposed policies are mostly fair and rational, his intellect is unquestionable, and I am actually inclined to believe that he entered the political realm out of an earnest interest in and concern for the well-being of this country, not simply to further his own career or sense of accomplishment.

It took me awhile to get here, but I support Barack Obama for president.